Korp family to fight convictions

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JOE KORP's youngest son and stepdaughter will fight moves to
have their father convicted posthumously of the attempted murder of
his wife Maria.

Mrs Korp's daughter, Laura De Gois, fears a formal declaration
of convictions will further upset her brother after his traumatic
year.

Korp, 47, killed himself on August 12, the day his wife was
buried and six months after she was found unconscious in the boot
of her car.

Mrs Korp, 50, never recovered from injuries suffered when her
husband's lover, Tania Herman, choked her in the garage of the
couple's home in February. Herman pleaded guilty to attempted
murder and is serving a minimum jail term of nine years.

Korp was awaiting trial at the time of his death on charges that
included conspiracy to murder and intentionally causing serious
injury. He denied the allegations.

His stepdaughter, Ms De Gois, and his son Damien oppose moves by
the Victorian Director of Public Prosecutions to have him deemed
convicted of the charges. The DPP's application is listed today in
the Supreme Court.

Last month the DPP told lawyers acting for Ms De Gois and Damien
Korp that the application's purpose was to enable the children to
apply for compensation.

They could not receive compensation as victims unless Korp,
found in August to bear a "considerable moral responsibility" for
the ultimate death of his wife, was convicted.

But solicitor Jim Robinson, for Ms De Gois, has told the DPP
that Ms De Gois and lawyers for Damien had agreed to make no
application for compensation.

Mr Robinson, of Best Hooper, said that if the DPP refused the
children's request not to proceed with the matter, they would ask
the court not to "entertain" any application for compensation.

If those requests were unsuccessful, and compensation orders
were made, the children would return any money for equal division
among the beneficiaries of the estate.

That course follows the mediated agreement reached this month
between the relatives of Joe and Maria Korp - including Joe Korp's
two children from his first marriage and his brother Gust - to
settle their legal actions.

Mr Robinson told the DPP that Ms De Gois was concerned for the
wellbeing of Damien if convictions were recorded.

Ms De Gois said he had had a difficult year and convictions
against his father for involvement in the assault that caused his
mother's death could only add to his problems.